Tumnus' Birthday
by Frodo's sister
Summary: Lucy visits Tumnus on his birthday and gives him a home made present. friendship only no romance. Constructive Critism instead of flames please.


Tumnus' Birthday

Beta'd by narnia and beareject fan 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia C S Lewis does.

This story takes place a few years after the four children entered Narnia

Author's Note: None of the animals that they ate were talking animals and none of the trees that were chopped down were talking trees.

Lucy was sitting in a soft arm chair, next to the very large window, carefully knitting a scarf for Tumnus. Facing her from the far right of the room was a velvet couch, conveniently placed near a large, stone fire place which was centered against the wall in the middle of the room. On her left were some stone shelves that were filled to the brim with knick-knacks that she and Susan had collected from their adventures together.)On the top shelf was a beautiful doll with baby- blue eyes, golden-blond curls, and rosy red cheeks and lips. She was wearing a pretty, yellow gown with white, lace slippers. Being twelve and a half, Lucy knew that she was too old for dolls, but this doll was special to her because it was a gift from Tumnus on her ninth birthday. The doll seemed to stare at her while she was pushing the needle through the loop she had made. She had been working on the scarf for hours because she wanted to get it done by tomorrow for Tumnus birthday.

The fire from the fire place was making her and Susan's very large bedroom warm and cozy and that made her smile. It was chilly that day and there is nothing like having a good fire to drive the chill away. Because Lucy was so determined to make Tumnus' present amazing, she had completely tuned out to the world around her, which is why she was so surprised to hear the faint sound of a large splash below her window. Curious about what made that splash, she placed her knitting on her lap and looked outside the window.

A few stories below the window she saw the water crashing on the soft beige sands and in that water she saw lots of mermen and mermaids swimming and playing in it. It seemed that they were having lots of fun. Then she saw, through the crystal clear water, mermaids and mermen dancing and twirling each other around. The bottom of the water was so far below that they looked like tiny dolls. She saw a few talking dolphins jumping in and out the water making large, splashing sounds. She also saw some talking sea gulls chasing each other on the sand. It looked like they were having fun too. Almost immediately one of the sea gulls noticed her. In a flurry of wings and feathers he flew up to the window.

"Yes?" she asked the seagull.

"Why don't you come outside and join in on the fun that we are having?"

"I'd love to, it's too cold."

As she began to close the window the sea gull squawked out a "goodbye" before going down to join the others. She loved parties but she did not want to be outside in the cold so she was content with watching them. She especially liked watching the mermen and mermaids dance because they were as graceful as the ballet dancers she remembered when her parents took her and her siblings to watch ballet a few times. They always enjoyed watching the graceful dancers and the stories that they told while they were watching them. The only one who hated ballet was Edmund.

She was so engrossed in watching the dancers that she did not notice her sister entering the room and walking towards her until she sat on the queen size bed that was closer to the window. The two large beds were facing the fireplace.

"Lucy!"

Lucy jumped at the sound of her name. She turned around and saw Susan sitting on her (Lucy's) bed.

"What is it Susan?"

"It's dinner time. Peter asked me to bring you downstairs."

"I'll come with you."

Susan looked at the knitting On Lucy's lap and wondered what she was making.

"What are you making, Lucy?"

"I'm making a present for Mr. Tumnus. It's his birthday tomorrow."

"What kind of present?"

"A scarf." _Shouldn't that be obvious to you?_ She thought.

"But it's spring."

I know that Susan, but he likes wearing scarves and it will be something for him to look forward to wear in the winter."

"I thought Tumnus doesn't want to have a party."

"Who says he's having a party?"

"You are going to give him a present tomorrow."

"That doesn't mean he's having a party. I just thought he might like some company."

"Come on Lucy, Peter and Edmund are waiting for us! They don't want the roast duck to get cold."

"I'm coming, Susan," Lucy answered. She got up from her chair and placed her knitting on it before she walked out of the room with her sister. She planned to finish knitting the scarf as soon as she was finished eating dinner with her siblings.

The next day, Lucy was walking on the well trimmed grass of the court yard towards the gate carrying a beautifully wrapped package in her right hand. On her way she came upon a group of squirrels, beavers, and bears playing croquet; a game that they learned from her and her siblings.

When they saw her they bowed and curtsied to her and one of them, "Good day, Your majesty! I hope you are doing well."

"Good day to you too," she said. "I see that you are having fun playing croquet." _It would be more fun if it wasn't so cold_ , she thought.

"And we are glad that you and the other Kings and Queen taught us how to play," said Tomkin the bear.

"Who is winning?" she asked.

"We are," said Shirley the squirrel.

"Why don't you come and join in on the fun?" asked Greta the squirrel.

"I'd love to but I'm going to visit a friend."

"Mr. Tumnus?" Tomkin asked.

"Yes, I'm going to visit him today. It is his birthday."

"Really, is it today?" asked Shirley.

"Yes it is?"

"What did you get him for his birthday?" asked Greta.

"A scarf."

"That would be a nice present for him; I know he loves scarves," said Tomkin.

"I have to get going."

"Tell him happy birthday for us," said Dan the beaver.

"I will," she said while she waved goodbye to them.

She walked passed a small flower garden to her right and saw that it was blooming with tulips, lilies, violets, and daffodils. She took a good look at the violets.

Susan will be so happy to see how well her violets are growing; violets have been favorite flowers ever since I was little, she thought.

Behind the flowers were three apple trees standing in a row covered in pink flowers. In two months the tree will be filled with crisp, red apples with snow white centers. She was very much looking forward to eating those sweet apples.

Once she had walked past the apple trees, she saw two fauns walking together with their arms around each other. She recognized them at once, Asher and Lilly. When they saw her they bowed and curtsied out of respect for her and she politely nodded her head back to them.

To her far right she saw a few Centaurs and fauns near the gate who were practicing sword fighting.

When one of the Centaurs saw her approach the gate he said to her, "I beg your pardon, Your Majesty, but you can't enter the woods without an escort."

"Who says?" she asked.

"High King Peter. He says we need to protect you."

"He's over protective of me I'm twelve and a half not eight years old! I can walk in the woods by myself, and, besides I'm not going that far!"

"It's high king Peters orders."

"Alright come along," she says exasperatedly. The centaur began to follow Lucy into the woods.

A bright melody accompanied them while they were walking along the dusty, but extremely leafy, dirt pathway.

"I love bird songs," said Lucy, "they add beauty to the day."

"So do my wife and I, especially the nightingales," said the Centaur.

"I like a variety of birds singing," said Lucy, "their music seems to blend in well even though they are not chirping the same tune."

"Do you have bird singing back from where you came from?"

"Yes, but none of the birds, are talking birds and their music doesn't blend in as well."

After a while of walking, they came up to a lovely robin perched upon one of the lowest branches of a beech tree.

"Good day to you, Mrs. Robin," Lucy greeted once she saw the familiar face.

"Good day to you too, Your Majesty, and Centaur, Mrs. Robin said while she curtsied to her and nodded her head at him.

"You and the other birds chirp beautifully!"

"We always love to sing at this time of the day before the sun is really high in the sky. It is our favorite."

"This is my favorite time of the day too."

Mrs. Robin looked curiously at the present in Lucy's hand and wondered who she was going to give the present to. "Who are you visiting today?"

Mr. Tumnus it is his birthday."

Really? That is great!"

"What kind of present are you going to give him?" she asked hoping Lucy will satisfy her curiosity.

"A Scarf."

"That would be a lovely present for him."

Lucy would have loved to stay and talk to Mrs. Robin a bit longer, but she was feeling even chillier.

 _I_ _should have put on something warmer than this light jacket_ , she thought.

"I have to go, goodbye Mrs. Robin.

"Goodbye," said Mrs. Robin while she curtsied. "Tell Mr. Tumnus. I said happy birthday."

"Goodbye, " said the Centaur.

Mrs. Robin nodded her towards him before she flew away.

Lucy and the Centaur turned left and walked a few feet until they came upon a group of wild flowers growing near two oak trees.

"I love these flowers, centaur, they are so beautiful especially the lilies!"

"Can you pick a few of them for me? My wife would love to have them."

"Which ones?"

"Bluebells, anemones, and columbines."

Lucy bent down and pulled out a few flowers and handed them to the Centaur.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, she can put it in a vase and have it as a centerpiece on the table."

"Doesn't she like to eat the flowers?" Lucy asked knowing that they were part horse.

"She does, but she likes looking them a lot more. Besides we have more than enough grass to eat."

They resumed walking for about twenty ft when they came upon a family of rabbits. The family consisted of a mother, a father, and seven little ones. The mother and the father stood together while they watched the children play happily together. They were chasing each other around the small bush. When the adult rabbits saw Lucy and the Centaur, they bowed to her and nodded their heads in polite greeting to him and nudged their children to do the same. The centaur nodded his head back at them, and Lucy smiled and waved at them. She was beginning to feel brighter than she did before and her eyes were sparkling.

They walked a few more feet and approached the oval door to Tumnus' new home. Tumnus was a member of the royal court and members of the royal court typically lived in the castle, but Tumnus preferred to have his own place so they permitted him to build a house near the castle; which he did with the help of the Beavers, and the good dwarves. As they followed the rocky path up to the front door, they took in the rugged window and wooden chair. Lucy could help but picture Mr. Tumnus sitting out there on his front porch, relaxing and taking in the beautiful forest that surrounded his small, one-story home. Lucy knocked on the door.

She heard Tumnus voice call from the inside of his house, "who is it?"

It's me, Lucy."

"I'll be right there!"

She heard shuffling of furniture and the clip clop of hooves before the door opened revealing Tumnus. The expression on his face was bright because he was always happy when one of the Kings and Queens came to visit him. He was fond of them all; especially Lucy.

"Happy birthday, Mr. Tumnus!" Lucy said cheerfully while she hugged him. When she let go of him she gave him his present.

"Thank you, Your Majesty" said Tumnus, when he took the present. "Come inside, I'm just about to cut the cake." He looked at the Centaur who was standing silently behind Lucy. "Please come inside too," he gestured to the centaur.

"No thank you," said the Centaur.

"But it's cold outside," Tumnus said.

"I prefer the cold," the Centaur answered.

Lucy entered Tumnus house . as they were talking, desperate to be in the warmth of her friend's house. Though she enjoyed walking outside and greeting her friends and neighbors, she was glad to get inside the house. Unlike, the centaur, she did not like the cold.

"Sit down while I hang up your jacket," he said to her.

Lucy took off her jacket and handed it to Tumnus who hung it on a hook on the left side of the room, next to his coats and scarves, while she sat down on a comfortable chair near the roaring fire. She loved how the fire made the room all warm and toasty. Tumnus sat down on the other chair facing her and tore the wrappings off. Then he opened the box and his eyes became bright when he took the brown scarf out of it. He looked at the scarf carefully and saw that it was well made, and when he fingered the scarf he realized how soft it was.

"This is a very nice scarf; it's so soft and it is my favorite color. Where did you ever manage to find such a well refined item of clothing?"

"I made it," she told him. "I wanted to make something nice for you on your birthday."

"Well this is a fine present- and you are fine knitter," he told her.

"Mrs. Beaver taught Susan and me how to knit and crochet."

"She taught you well," he said to her while still admiring the scarf.

"Let's go into the kitchen, Your Majesty," he said to her."

Lucy followed Tumnus into the kitchen, and as soon as she entered it she saw a large vanilla cake on the square table covered with vanilla frosting and with blue and red trimmings on top of the cake. The cake looked so sweet that she couldn't wait till she tasted it. Next to it was a plate of cookies.

"Sit down, Your Majesty, and help yourself to some cookies," Tumnus said to Lucy.

Lucy sat down on left end of the table and grabbed a cookie. When she bit into the cookie she was able to taste the oatmeal and the walnuts. She chewed on the cookie savoring the sweet and nutty taste, and once she had finished eating one cookie she ate another.

While she was doing that, Tumnus opened the cupboard and drawers and took out plates, silverware, and tea cups and placed one set in front of her and the other set in front of his own seat which faced the door. When he had finished setting the table, he took the kettle off the coal stove and poured the steaming hot water into the two cups then placed a tea bag in each cup.

Lucy added a teaspoon of sugar in her tea and stirred it before she sipped it.

"This tea is good," she said to him.

Tumnus nodded in response. Then he took the cake knife out of the drawers and cut two slices of cake and placed them on the plates. Lucy plunged her fork into the spongy like texture of the cake and brought it to her mouth. She tasted the vanilla cake as well as the vanilla frosting. She chewed the cake which seemed to almost melt in her mouth and when she swallowed it she said to Tumnus, "this is very delicious."

Tumnus took a sip of his own tea before he said to Lucy, "I'm glad you're enjoying it."

"Did you make the cake?" she asked him.

"Yes, I did, my mother taught me how to bake cakes a long time ago. She was an expert cook. She used to win baking contests."

Lucy looked at him in wonder.

 _It would be so wonderful to be able to cook that well,_ she thought _._ She knew that her sister Susan was a great cook and wished that she could cook half as well as her.

I miss my mother," said Tumnus. "She was a wonderful woman always kind to others. She would have been very fond of you and your siblings."

"I wish my own mother was here too," when a picture of her smiling mother entered her mind.

"How are your siblings doing, Queen Lucy?"

"They are doing fine. We played croquet a few days ago and then we went riding because it wasn't as cold as it is today and yesterday. We also visited the Beavers last week and they treated us to a fish dinner." She ate another piece of her cake.

" I saw them too not too long ago. I went fishing with Mr. Beaver a few weeks ago, caught a large salmon, and made a few meals out of it," Tumnus said before he took a cookie off the plate and began to eat it.

"The Beavers are wonderful talking animals aren't they?"

"They certainly are. What did you and your siblings have for dinner last night?

"We had roast duck with fresh vegetables for dinner last night."

Tumnus almost made a face because he did not care for fowl. "I'm not very fond of eating birds; I like fish a lot better."

Lucy drank some more of her tea. "I like ducks, and chicken better than fish."

"So how is your garden coming along?" he asked her before he ate some more cake.

"They are blooming like anything including tulips, lilies and violets; Susan really loves violets."

Tumnus and Lucy continued to talk to each other for hours while they ate and were really enjoying each other's company and friendship. Tumnus was extremely glad to have such a great a friend like Lucy visiting him on his birthday, and Lucy was glad she was visiting him for she thought he was a great friend too.

The End


End file.
